“It is very good news that the rates of stillbirth, neonatal deaths, perinatal deaths and infant deaths in Scotland are at the lowest ever recorded. Each of these events is devastating for a family expecting to bring up a healthy baby, and it is imperative such deaths are prevented wherever possible.

“NCT welcomes the health secretary’s pledge of individualised care according to each woman’s needs in pregnancy, and additional support for those with complex needs. Safety and positive experiences of birth are also increased by one-to-one midwifery care in the birth setting chosen by the woman and her partner.

“More needs to be done to tackle inequalities in Scotland, as both stillbirth and neonatal deaths are linked to deprivation.

“In addition, we urge the continued collection of data equivalent to the information in this report across the UK, as previously carried out through the Centre for Maternal and Child Enquiries (CMACE).”